ARTICLES ABOUT ESSEX BY DATE - PAGE 3

The Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) is proud to announce Attorney Christina M. Storm as the recipient of this year's Citizen of the Law Award. Christina Storm has been a practicing trial lawyer for the last 35 years and is currently a partner at Byrne & Storm PC in Hartford. Her longtime litigation experience covers a wide spectrum of practice areas, including civil and criminal, matrimonial, employment discrimination, and alternative dispute resolution. As an active member of the CBA throughout the years, Attorney Storm has held membership in the Human Rights and Responsibilities Executive Committee, Pro Bono Committee, Family Law Section, and General Practice Section, and has chaired the International Law Section.

One of the questions I find myself answering all the time from readers of this column is: "Where do you find these places?" Most of the time the answer is websites, land trust trail guides, or just looking on maps. But in the case of the Essex Land Trust's Farm Ledge Preserve, I discovered it last fall after my daughter severely sprained her ankle at recess and I had to bring her to Middlesex Hospital's Shoreline Medical Center. While she was getting X-rays, I walked out to the car for something and a sign for Farm Ledge at the side of the center caught my eye. I explored it briefly and vowed to return one day. That return date was last week, while the New England winter still held its firm grip on the area.

By ERIK HESSELBERG, Special to The Courant and The Hartford Courant, January 29, 2014

ESSEX — A burned-out shell of a house that has long squatted amid million-dollar homes has been sold, clearing the way for the property's rehabilitation. First Selectman Norman Needleman said he was pleased that the property at 63 North Main St., which has drawn complaints from neighbors for half a dozen years, was finally sold at a bank auction Saturday. "The sale still has to be approved by the court, but it's moving in the right direction," Needleman said Tuesday. Court approval could come within 30 days.

By ERIK HESSELBERG, Special to The Courant and The Hartford Courant, January 10, 2014

ESSEX — Several sites along the Connecticut River that played a role in the War of 1812 may soon be recognized as national battlefields worthy of protection. After six years of study, researchers for the Battlefield Essex project, documenting the so-called "1814 British Raid on Essex," in which 27 American ships were burned in the harbor, are poised to submit their application to the National Register of Historic Places. The Connecticut River Museum, which has been coordinated the battlefields project, will be hosting a presentation Jan. 21, at 5:30 p.m. It will be led by Kevin McBride, research director for the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, and Stacey Vairo, a state historic preservation officer.

David Holahan, Centerbrook Architects and Middletown/Shoreline, January 4, 2014

An exhibition of work by Centerbrook Architects is on display at Essex Meadows beginning on Saturday, Jan. 11 through the end of February, consisting of models, photographs, and sketches and renderings along with descriptions of diverse buildings designed by the firm. The 20 projects on display encompass examples of academic, cultural, religious, and residential architecture. Some of the buildings will be familiar to local residents: the Ocean House resort hotel in Rhode Island; Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Yale's Kroon Hall, High Hopes Therapeutic Riding in Old Lyme, and Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk.

By ERIK HESSELBERG, Special to The Courant and The Hartford Courant, November 4, 2013

ESSEX — The story of American railroads is depicted at the Connecticut River Museum in a 26-foot display that's less than a foot high. Steve Cryan's holiday train show, which opens Nov. 22 in the museum's third-floor gallery, is a vision of a lost world. "The railroad used to be central to our lives," said Cryan, 64, an Old Saybrook artist and model builder whose train show at the river museum is marking its 20th year. "That's how we shipped our goods. And before the automobile, that's how we got around.

By KENNETH R. GOSSELIN, kgosselin@courant.com and The Hartford Courant, October 31, 2013

When Robert Croft built a Dutch-style windmill on his Essex estate in 1970s, many in town complained the structure spoiled the pristine views of the Connecticut River from Foxboro Point. The windmill became one of the most accepted, recognizable landmarks in the town — arguably, iconic. Now, builder Frank J. Sciame Jr. is pushing ahead with even bigger changes for the 12-acre estate: a development of upscale homes. "We recognize the importance of this area," Sciame said.

A special art show, "Images of the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat," is being sponsored by The Valley Railroad Company, Essex, In collaboration with Essex Art Association Members. The show will be held at the Oliver O. Jensen Gallery (the River Valley Junction building), The Valley Railroad Company, 1 Railroad Ave., Essex. A reception will be held on Friday, Nov. 8, 5-8 p.m. The exhibit runs Nov. 9 to Dec. 29. Free and open to the public. Check the website for details http://www.essexsteamtrain.com/schedule.html.

Jessica Lister, Services for the Elderly of Farmington and Farmington, October 10, 2013

"It's Good to Get Out," a social group of seniors who gather together for adventures and companionship, enjoyed a ride on the Essex Steam Train on Oct. 7. "It's Good to Get Out" is a program of Services for the Elderly of Farmington. This group has created new friendships with each other while visiting interesting places, mostly in Connecticut. Marcie Shepard, a volunteer and board member with Services for the Elderly, started the group two years ago. "It's good to get out, have fun, be with friendly people, and see new things," said Marcie.

By ERIK HESSELBERG, Special To The Courant and The Hartford Courant, September 12, 2013

ESSEX – The town's signature tall ship, the 75-foot schooner Mary E, sailed for New London Thursday morning for a weekend rendezvous and celebration of historic sailing vessels, the inaugural Connecticut Schooner Festival. Reached by cellphone aboard the vessel, Skipper Dan Thompson said Mary E and her crew of three got under way before sunrise and cruised down the Connecticut River and over to New London under power, as the winds were too light at that hour to hoist sail. "The winds have picked up," Thompson said by late morning.